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'Your network settings have been changed by another app' - THE SOLUTION

This currently reported problem, which manifests after applying Security Update 2008-06, can be fixed permanently by removing the following preferences files:

Go to Library/Preferences/SystemConfiguration and delete the following (suggest make copies to the desktop first if in doubt):

com.apple.airport.preferences.plist
NetworkInterfaces.plist
preferences.plist
com.apple.nat.plist

All these files will regenerate as necessary when the associated system features are accessed. If you're using Airport or Internet Sharing you'll have to reestablish the appropriate settings, because these will have been lost when the preferences files are removed. Small price to pay, however for a permanent, and very simple solution to this irritating problem.

MacBook Pro 2.16 GHz, 2GB RAM, 100 GB Seagate 7200rpm drive., Mac OS X (10.4.11)

Posted on Sep 28, 2008 8:30 AM

Reply
169 replies

Oct 1, 2008 11:19 AM in response to Jona

hope this does not sound stupid, I tried this methodology and the new preferences were not generated. Basically, after dragging those prefs out of that location, the next time i restarted the computer i was unable to connect to the internet. When i looked into the system config folder it was empty. Once i placed the saved prefs back in that folder i was able to connect again. Did i miss on a step there? how do i get system prefs to restore my network connections?

Oct 2, 2008 8:21 PM in response to Jona

Oh another thing for everyone reading this thread...

Try to write down on textedit or on a piece of paper your network preferences. Because everything will be erased. this is the unfortunate consequence of THE SOLUTION.

I have five locations, so I needed to write it down, plus I had bluetooth settings for my nokia e90 to connect to the internet if wifi wasn't available. I also had ethernet settings for my PPPoe internet service, I had automatic wireless settings for my router.. etc.etc..

So you gotta write it down 🙂

Thanks again Jona!

-edrix

Oct 3, 2008 5:47 AM in response to Jona

wow.
kool.
I am gonna give it a whirl, Jona. ThankyaThankyaThankya!!
That Network pop-down window was makin' me CUSS, man!
My temp solution to the prob was to click the OK button on the popdown, & then quickly get my mouse arrow over to the "Location" miniwindow that the popdown covers (sometimes took me 10-15 tries..... gotta be quick) & left-clicked on it. After I finally got it, I'd then add a new Location (I have only 1, so I ended up just serializing the things.... 1, 2, 3, 4, 5...... made me mad.
I couldn't believe that a bug THIS obvious (& apparently now ubiquitous due to its entrenchment in the R-6 "fix"'s fundamental code, having nothing at all to do with a machine's hardware particulars, it appears to me in these posts).

Funny how the 98, XP, 2000, & WinMac (Vista) simplest procedural fixes are the complete opposite to Macintosh's simplest procedural fix:
PCs: Overwrite or add 1 or a gazillion files. IN their proper locations!
Mac: Dump 1 or 2 files, restart the app, reset the prefs.
hehehe

I'm a reinstated Machound, having started on SE's in the late 80's, then got sucked into Gates' darkside for longlong (used to work for Gateway, MS & HP even), but now I'm a Mackie. No more Windows stuff. Frankly, it used to be an ego trip, I now surmise, for me to fix the silly things. Which was a constant chore. CONSTANT. Now, I just want the darned things to work, PERIOD. I'm gettin' too old to be thrilled by clever fixes of intrinsically flawed machines. Childish, really.... <G>

<Edited by Moderator>

Oct 4, 2008 6:01 AM in response to Jona

This is to Jona:
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Jona wrote:
This currently reported problem, which manifests after applying Security Update 2008-06, can be fixed permanently by removing the following preferences files:

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I did it, & _+*it worked!*+_
My next step, if the procedures you posted hadn't worked was to run the 10.4.11 combo update DMG that fixed a CarbonLib error window problem I had a month or so ago. But didn't have to take that road....
Regarding the R-6 update, it appears that the codemakers gaff was to leave out code that would remove one or more of the preference files you listed, or to leave out reformatting one or more of those prefs for proper cooperation with the update's other inclusions/alterations/etc.
Thankyou for the help, Jona!
kevinkendall

'Your network settings have been changed by another app' - THE SOLUTION

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